I’ve heard a LOT of Joe Cocker in my life. To me, he kills everything.
He never stood out to me as being musically talented. His voice is raspy. He has really strange mannerisms when he sings, and he has bad teeth. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
One of the best interpreters of rock songs there is. The “raspy” voice gives some character and emotion to his songs. Listen to his Mad Dogs and Englishmen CD to see.
On stage, his performance is a bit odd, but his voice makes up for it. One of the half dozen best male singers in rock.
Because he’s got an amazingly expressive voice. Ditto Reality Chuck’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen recommendation – it’s a desert-island album for me.
It’s all about the emotion.
That reminds me of the first time I ever saw him - a performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. My dad saw all those contortions and asked me what was wrong with him. I told Dad maybe he had some form of palsy or something…I had no idea; I’d only heard him on the radio prior to that. As far as the raspy voice and all, I guess that’s part of the charm. I firmly believe he owns “With a Little Help From My Friends”. Nowadays, I can scarcely listen to it without channeling Cocker ala Belushi.
I’d rather listen to someone who was affected by the music than a disinterested but more able performer. Joe Cocker freaked out during every song. Who cares what his teeth look like, he was authentic.
I think he’s one of the most under-rated '60s performers. His voice IS raspy; so was Janis Joplin’s. No one can sing “blue-eyed soul” like Joe.
I’m with you in one respect - I can’t watch him sing. He’s great to listen to, tho.
I’m with the OP. I’ve never been a fan of artists who equate straining and being over the top with soul (Janis Joplin, Michael Bolton), and I’m even less enamored of white British “blues” musicians now than I was 20 years ago. I find the guy boring and unlistenable.
ETA: And I’ve never enjoyed his “interpretations” more than the originals he was covering.
Michael Bolton has soul?
No, he equates straining with soul.
I think Joe is a folk singer and storyteller in the old tradition. It’s the story that he feels… it’s flowin chi, babee-- flowin chi. His voice is his body.
Tom Waits is a storyteller with a raspy but expressive voice. Joe Cocker always brings to mind what the old folks call “straining at the stool.” Like woodstockybird, I put him in the same class as Michael Bolton and I was shocked (shocked, I tell you!) to discover that some people prefer his Beatles covers (fucking Beatles, man) to the originals.
What an odd coincidence - thanks to the live Wilco thread elsewhere in this forum, I’m listening to a radio station streaming out of Chicago, and they just played “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” as covered by Joe Cocker. I’m not a Cocker fan, but that particular song I liked better than the original. (It’s not one of my favorite Beatles tunes.)
It’s all relative, but I’m surprised to see Janis Joplin characterized as straining. She did often seem to be going to the edge, but I think that’s exactly what she was shooting for. She’s one of my all-time favorite raspy voiced singers, along with the aforementioned Tom Waits, who is a minor deity at the very least.
Who the hell’s Michael Bolton? <-rhetorical question.
FYI I also like Kenny Rogers, whose voice is very gravelly. He can sure interpret a song well.
I haven’t heard much from him other than his Beatles covers, but I definitely don’t think they stand up to the originals.
They definitely had their moments though.
I would consider myself a Tom Waits fan, but I consider him to be an actor/performer type. His extemporaneous monologues are planned in advance and repeated verbatim both live and in the studio. I doubt Cocker planned out his freakiness.
Who said a singer needed range to be good?
There are lots of bad singers out there (AKA Neil Young) but they make their success by being bold and being great interpreters of material.
Someday, I’m gonna make it too!!!
Mr. Cocker always had a rocking band to provide accompaniment. That’s what I liked about him anyway.
Cocker’s cover of “The Letter” has been one of my favorite songs since I was about 10. I still think that’s an awesome version, and I’ve liked everything else I’ve heard from him.
Hey, if Ringo’s singing on “With a Little Help from My Friends” moves you, more power to you, but I think Cocker’s version offers a lot more in terms of singing and orchestration.
Yes, it offers more, I’ll give you that.